WORLD’S FIRST DIESEL-ELECTRIC HYBRID: PEUGEOT 3008 HYBRID 4

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With the launch of the 3008 HYbrid 4, Peugeot becomes the first automaker to sell a full production diesel-electric hybrid vehicle.

The 3008 HYbrid 4 is powered by a 2.0-liter 163 horsepower HDi diesel, combined with a 27 constant, 37 peak horsepower electric motor, making it a powerful, yet efficient crossover. The CUV is capable of 74.4 miles per gallon highway on the European cycle, and emits just 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. The 3008 HYbrid 4 also features Peugeot’s latest generation of Start-Stop technology, for even greater fuel economy savings.

The power is distributed via a six-speed electronically-controlled manual transmission, which the automaker says allows for greatly improved fuel economy over both traditional automatic and manual transmissions. The driver has the option of choosing the gear change mode at any time – manual or automatic – with either the gear lever or via controls behind the steering wheel

Driving modes
Adding to its list of impressive green qualities, the 3008 HYbrid 4 also offers a pure electric driving mode, ZEV (Zero emission vehicle), as well as four-wheel drive, Auto and Sport modes.

Peugeot says the ZEV Mode is intended to give drivers the ability to travel silently and without emitting any emissions while traveling around town.

The Four-Wheel Drive mode instructs both power trains to operate together with the rear wheels driven by the electric motor and the front wheels by the HDi diesel engine. At low speed it allows “all-terrain” capabilities equivalent to those of an SUV.

With Auto Mode the entire system is automatically controlled, including operation of the HDi diesel engine and the electric motor. This mode helps to provide an optimal blend for both fuel consumption and dynamic performance.

The Sport Mode opts for quicker gear changes at higher engine speeds than normal mode. This mode combines the diesel engine with the electric motor for more dynamic performance, optimally distributed and transmitted to the road by the four-wheel drive.

Inside the cabin
Peugeot says that with the interior of the 3008 they were aiming for a high-end look and feel, but a layout that should remind the driver of an aircraft cockpit. The cabin features an expansive fascia panel, ergonomically placed controls and an ergonomically-minded center console that helps to clearly separate the territory of the “pilot” from the passengers.

Style is provided from unique materials and color choices, and this is true in particular of the new and specific Guérande & Tramontane two-tone leather finish which subtly combines bright pale grey on the seat cushions with a black finish on the sides of the seats.

The gear lever with its modern and elegant design is a key feature of the HYbrid4 technology. It enhances the technological ambiance in the same way as the seven-inch color display which provides information on the flow of energy. A specific steering wheel bearing the signature HYbrid4 adds a touch of exclusivity to the car.

Peugeot Epine – Futuristic Hybrid Car

from: http://www.geekcivilization.com/

Epine concept car is a hybrid eco-friendly vehicle that offers a new way of being in contact with the nature and is aiming to provide a racing track experience to its occupants. This car has a minimalist unique design that is inspired from the racing vehicles like Formula One cars and motorcycles. The most important technical feature of this car is its Epine system. The car is equipped with an innovative seating arrangement and adopts the drive-by-wire technology to run the steering system.

This new Epine concept car includes a whale skeleton as a tribute to Mother Nature. Daniel Schumpert, a graduate from the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit MI with a BFA in Transportation Design, is the creator of this new concept car which brings the experience of the racing vehicles. Its name is derived from the incorporated Epine (spine) system.

The car is designed in such a way that the storage compartment can be found in the front and the power plant at the rear side of the car. It has got the airless wheels based on the Michelin Tweel concept and is housed in the wheel itself. The wheel spokes are able to compress and decompress and has been used in the suspension system of this car to offer a smooth, trouble-free ride. The structure and the materials of the wheel spokes offer a wide collection of motions. This is a compact car that measures 4260 mm in length, 1882 mm in width and 1153 mm in height.

Peugeot draws inspiration from the 1940s for its latest quirky electric car design

By Philip Case

It may not give you 'The Drive of Your Life', as its makers Peugeot may try to claim, but the latest micro electric car is creating huge excitement in the automotive industry.

The Peugeot BB1, a cross between a scooter and a car, is powered by two electric motors which are mounted in the rear wheels.

A silver prototype BB1had residents and tourists stopping to take a closer peak when a prototype version rolled into Paris today.

Inspired by Peugeot’s electric VLV from the 1940s, the new all-electric BB1 represents the car firm’s view for the future of electrical-based urban mobility.

The Peugeot BB1, a cross between a scooter and a car, is powered by two electric motors which are mounted in the rear wheels

Back to the future: Peugeot has based the design of the BB1 on its VLV from the 1940s

At just 2.5m long, the bubble-shaped BB1 can amazingly seat four people in saddle-like seats and its packaging miracle is achieved by rethinking the driving task.

There are no pedals so the driver sits more upright with the rear passenger's legs around the driver's torso, motorbike pillion-style.

There is no room for a steering wheel either and the driver uses handlebars to control the mini vehicle, which is undoubtedly a real head-turner.

Peugeot sought inspiration from quad bikes when planning the BB1's electric propulsion system, co-developed with tyre manufacturer Michelin.

And the rear-wheel driven car is powered by two electric engines which give it plenty of poke.

It can reach 0 to 19 mph in 2.8 seconds and 19 to 37 mph in an impressive four seconds, with a top speed of around 65mph.

The power for the vehicle is provided by two lithium-ion battery packs supplying energy to the respective electric motors located under the right and left-hand rear seats, with a comfortable range of 75 miles.

Future's bright: The Peugeot BB1 could revolutionise the electric car industry if if it makes it to production

Peugeot says the BB1 is a logical addition to a vehicle line-up that incorporates bicycles and scooters, as well as cars.

Access to the vehicle is gained via the reverse opening doors, while the load area access is through an innovative tailgate design.

The body is made up of a very light carbon fibre structure, designed to wrap around the passenger compartment.

Inside, the car has an extensive range of interactive technologies, including a colour multi-function display and audio system with telephone, navigation, Internet access, radio, MP3, USB connector and 12V power socket if necessary.

Peugeot’s keeping mum about whether it will actually put the BB1 into production.

Electric dreams: A cameraman films the Peugeot BB1 prototype, styled on a 1940s design, while it is parked outside a Parisian cafe

C'est chic: French business people flock around the new Peugeot BB1

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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/motoring/article-1219666/Peugeot-draws-inspiration-1940s-latest-quirky-electric-car-design.html#ixzz0TqAKWYNH

MCE-5 to Debut 220-HP 1.5L Engine with Variable Compression Ratio at Geneva

by Scott_Evans

If you know much about how engines work, the idea of a variable compression ratio seems almost crazy. The idea isn't new, in fact Saab claims to have been working on it since the 1980s, but it's never been commercially viable. Nine years after the last attempt to bring it to market, the variable compression engine is back for another round and it's got some big promises to keep. This time, another European company is giving it a go. France-based MCE-5 Development was founded in the year 2000 by a small group of engineers from a school in Paris dedicated to developing VCR technology. The company quickly teamed up with a number of European automakers and auto parts suppliers and has been trying to perfect an engine design originally conceived back in 1997. Here's what they've come up with: The gasoline-powered, four-cylinder MCE-5 VCRi (for Intelligent Variable Compression Ratio) engine uses a two-state turbocharger, displaces 1.5L and pumps out an impressive 220 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque -- numbers comparable to engines with much larger displacement and more cylinders. MCE-5 says the engine will get 35 mpg and emit only 0.56 grams of CO2 per mile. Sound too good to be true? Wait, it gets better. MCE-5 says that the engine shown here is just a preliminary model and will soon be upgraded. For 2010, MCE-5 will add direct injection, optimized combustion chambers and advanced temperature management of the engine, cylinder head, piston, and exhaust. All of these upgrades will help the revised engine produce a whopping 266 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque, all from just 1.5L. It'll even bump fuel economy over 40 mpg and drop CO2 emissions under 0.5 lbs per mile. MCE-5 is optimistic even here, suggesting that emissions could drop under 0.43 lbs per mile by 2012-2013 and fuel economy could improve even further. The last time we saw this kind of technology was the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, where Saab rolled out the Saab Variable Compression engine, which could alter its compression ratio while running. To do so, Saab attached one side of the cylinder head to the cylinder block with a hinge, then placed a lifting mechanism on the other side of the block. When activated, it would tilt the cylinder head four degrees up to one side in a similar fashion to opening the lid of a piano. Doing so would increase the volume of the combustion chambers, lowering the compression ratio. Saab claimed that the technology could change the compression ratio from 8:1 to 14:1 while the engine was running for optimal efficiency and performance, yielding 225 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque on 40 psi of boost from a supercharged 1.5L engine. MCE-5, though, has other ideas. Rather than move the cylinder head around, MCE-5 appears to be manipulating the stroke of the pistons. In a traditional internal combustion engine, each piston is attached directly to the crankshaft by a rod. MCE-5, though, has added an intermediary in the form of a special gear. This gear acts as both a gear and a rocker arm, and special hydraulic jacks embedded in the engine block next to the cylinders manipulate this rocker gear in order to change the length of the piston stroke, thereby changing the volume of the combustion chamber and therefore the compression ratio. MCE-5 says their system can change the compression ratio from 7:1 to an incredible 18:1 and the system can change the ratio from the lowest to the highest in less than 100 milliseconds. The system will supposedly allow the gasoline engine to run on compression like a diesel in some cases, use the more-efficient Atkinson Cycle and run various other fuels like bio-fuels and compressed gasses. The system can even control each cylinder separately, allowing all four cylinders to operate at different compression ratios, each one optimal for that cylinder. At least, that's how we understand it. The new design is very complex and MCE-5 never explains exactly how the mechanics of the system work, so our understanding is a bit hazy. If you're mechanically inclined, pop over to MCE-5's website and have a look around at their diagrams, videos and other materials and see what you can make of it. MCE-5 claims that because their system is based on simple mechanics and utilizes all of the same construction techniques as conventional engines, the cost of putting an MCE-5 engine in a car is less the $700 more than using a conventional engine. The company will be showing off their prototype nestled under the hood of a Peugeot 407 at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show next week, and who knows, maybe we'll see it on the road someday. Source: MCE-5 Development

France Invests $549 Million in Electric and Hybrid Cars

Written by Andrew Williams

The French government announced today that it has earmarked a massive €400 million ($549 million) in state support for the development of electric and hybrid cars. The news comes hot on the heels of key pledges on the development of electric cars from Renault and Peugeot-Citroen that signal a major shift in green transport policy across the country.

Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, President Nicolas Sarkozy said the investment is destined “exclusively for the research and development of non-polluting vehicles.” His comments follow earlier announcements from French carmakers Renault SA and PSA Peugeot Citroen of separate agreements with energy company Electricite de France (EdF) to develop and market green vehicles.

In a joint statement with EdF, Peugeot Citroen said that their scheme will support the development of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids. Meanwhile, the Renault agreement will advance the development of an EV charging infrastructure, enabling a country-wide vehicle launch in 2011.

EdF, which is 85% owned by the French government, runs the worlds biggest fleet of EVs and is developing a ’smart’ charging terminal currently being trialled on Toyota Prius’s in the UK. Using innovative vehicle recognition technology, the system allows drivers to be invoiced directly, irrespective of where they charge their vehicles.

Image Credit - david_megginson via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license